Boggart
by Cardboard Tardis
Summary: Ginny goes back to Hogwarts for her 6th year. But things have changed.
1. Returning

_**Disclaimer: JK Rowling is God and owns everything Potter, I just like to play with the characters.**_

**Hello, this is *going* to be a couple of chapters long. Probably. Well, hopefully. We'll just see how it goes.**

Boggart

The carriages led themselves towards the castle. Ginny looked out towards the horses that she could not see. The horses that she hoped he would never be able to see. Luna looked at them too, her eyes wide.

Ginny felt that she could almost hear their laboured breath, it swirled with the howl of the wind and danced with the rain. She closed her eyes and listened to the music that was made on the roof of the carriage. It was a militant drumming, a tender but systematic thrum that climaxed with a scream of wheels and gentle nudge.

At this, Ginny opened her eyes and looked at Luna and Neville. They looked back at her with grim smiles, Neville opened the carriage door and they climbed out.

The ground squealed as Ginny got out, mud clung to her robes as she tried to escape from the masses of students fighting to get out of the rain. She felt someone grab her hand; Neville was pulling her out of the way. She fell into place between Luna and Neville and all three of them looked up at the castle.

Ginny felt a hollow sensation spread through her body. Hogwarts had always been there to welcome her back, its windows burning with laughter and warmth. But the Hogwarts that she was looking at now reminded her of the pictures of Askaban that she had seen in the paper. It looked bleak, dark, cold and isolated. She wasn't coming home at all, she was being sent to a prison.

**Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	2. Things to Come

Things to come

That night neither Ginny nor Neville slept. They sat in the common room trying to warm themselves by the fire. Neither was cold, but the fire burned with bravery and hope, and in this new Hogwarts it was exactly what they needed.

Ginny told Neville about what happened at Bill and Fleur's wedding. She told him how the death eaters rounded the guests like cattle. How they took her from her family and tortured her into giving them information on Harry. She still had the scars along her body from the stone floor that she was repeatedly thrown upon, still had the haunting memories of the pain that they caused from their curses. She told Neville how she didn't even gasp as they tortured her for she would never join them, never aid them.

Neville looked uncomfortable as Ginny told him this, but she couldn't stop. She needed to tell someone what happened. When her mum asked, Ginny could not bear to see the horror on her face, so she told her "nothing". If Harry ever asks, she knows that he will receive the same reply – he already blames himself too much, she would not burden him further. But Neville was safe, Neville would never tell anyone, Ginny knew that.

"I think it's time we went to bed" Neville said around 4 o'clock.

Ginny shook her head, "Going to bed would mean accepting that what has happened to Hogwarts isn't a dream" she said "Anyhow, I don't want tomorrow to come. Hogwarts has changed, Neville"

Neville looked solemn as he replied; "Yes, Hogwarts has changed, and maybe we need to change with it" He looked at her with earnest "Ginny, I can feel the castle willing us to fight back" The fire danced in his eyes as he said this, Ginny stared at him. "What?" he said in reply to her gaze.

"You remind me of Harry when you talk like that" she said

Neville flushed "Well, that's a compliment" he said "But Harry was always right. He stood up for what he believed in, followed the road that was right, not the one that is easy"

Ginny signed "Neville, you know that whatever you do I'll be behind you 100%"

Neville smiled, "Where d'you think Harry is?" he asked

"I don't know" she replied "But I just hope he's safe. I hope they're all safe, Neville. My brother, my best friend and my..my…"

"Your _Harry, _Ginny" Neville said

"He's not mine," she replied, "that was made quite clear to me"

Neville patter her arm and said "Ginny, you and Harry were made for each other, that much has been clear to me from the moment you two got together. He just doesn't want you to worry about him. He's crazy about you. I just know that when all this is over, he will come and find you first."

Ginny smiled "Thank you, Neville"

"Anytime, Gin" he said as he lifted himself out of the chair. He walked to the window and looked out.

Both he and Ginny sat in silence. The silence haunted them.

They knew that this, all of this –the worry, the fear, the isolation – was just a sign of things to come.


End file.
